By Adepote Arowojobe
An academic, Dr Wasiu Odufisan, says Nigeria’s school leavers will be more suited for life after secondary school if they acquire vocational skills alongside their formal education.
Odufisan said this in an interview on Thursday in Lagos.
“Getting a university degree or school certificate without real life skills such that vocational education gives amount to nothing.
“Formal education accompanied with vocational skills is now the force to derive power when applied to produce goods and services and to create value and earn a living.
“Nigeria’s curricula, especially at the secondary level, will be more suited for high-scaling behaviourial and cognitive abilities if vocational skill acquisition is integrated into the entire learning process,” he said.
According to him, vocational skill enhances man’s cognitive capacity and capabilities in almost all fields of human endeavour.
He said degrees are overrated and overpriced, but are no longer a requirement to create wealth and prosperity.
Odufisan, also a consultant on human resources management, added that knowledge globally is now becoming more meaningful to create value for society when it is backed with vocational skill abilities.
“In today’s market place, talents and vocational skill capability is key to survival and optimal exploitation of corporate opportunities.
“Earning a degree or secondary school certificate does not confer automatic ability in creating wealth if one lacks additional skills in vocational areas like carpentery, catering or fashion.
“In today’s corporate world and for survival, creative and divergent ideas to solving societal challenges and problems is ever necessary,” Odufisan said.
He urged the Federal and State Governments to begin the process to integrate vocational skill education as a core subject every secondary school student must take before graduation. (NAN)
